


There for You

by sunflowercon



Category: Love Simon (2018), Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli
Genre: Angst, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-15 00:08:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16051415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflowercon/pseuds/sunflowercon
Summary: “It’s m-my fault. It’s my fault she got hit! It’s my fault. Oh God.”He can’t breathe. Everything around him is spinning, hurdling out of control and he can’t breathe. It’s all too much. Everything’s too much. He feels like he’s going to pass out. Like he’s going to lose control and everything around him is going to crash to his feet....In which Leah saves Simon from an incoming car. Consists mostly of an angsty Simon and Bram comforting him.





	There for You

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! This is my first story for this fandom – actually, this is my first story on AO3. I apologize if it’s not very good, as like I said, it’s my first story about these characters.  
> I hope you guys enjoy, regardless. :)

“Simon!”

He doesn’t even get the chance to look up before he’s being pulled into a hug, his body going completely limp as arms wind around his torso. His eyes close shut, head burying into the crook of Bram’s neck, and finally letting the tears fall. He’s sobbing within seconds, his fingers digging into the fabric of Bram’s hoodie. Bram is whispering words of comfort in his ear, his breath warm against Simon’s skin, but what he’s saying is not registering in his brain. It’s like everything around him is just white noise, muffled by his anguish.

“Hey.” Bram pulls away, but his hands immediately move to cup Simon’s face in between them. “Everything’s gonna be okay, love. She’s gonna be okay.”

Simon shakes his head vigorously. There are still tears dripping from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks — he hasn’t been able to stop crying.

“You don’t know that,” he says right before taking a huge gulp of air. “You... you didn’t see her. You didn’t see the way she looked.” His stomach churns at his own words, the image of Leah lying facedown on the pavement, bloody and unconscious, replaying itself in his mind. “She wouldn’t answer me... she wouldn’t _move_.”

“Let’s sit down,” Bram says as he guides Simon towards the waiting room chairs that are lined up against the wall, and then pushes him to sit down. He takes a seat to Simon’s left and winds an arm around his shoulders. “What happened?” he asks, his head turning in Simon’s direction. “You said she got hit by a car?”

Simon nods and lets his head rest against Bram’s shoulder. “We were walking back home from Waffle House. She-she was supposed to stay over for the night,” he says, his eyes staring forward into space. “I don’t know what happened exactly. The car came out of nowhere. I just. I looked away for a second, and the next thing I knew, I was pushed forward, and when I turned around...”

He doesn’t finish the sentence; he can’t. He’s shaking and he feels like he’s about to throw up.

“Simon, are you okay? Simon?”

“It’s m-my fault. It’s my fault she got hit! It’s my fault. Oh God.”

He can’t breathe. Everything around him is spinning, hurdling out of control and he _can’t breathe._  It’s all too much. Everything’s too much. He feels like he’s going to pass out. Like he’s going to lose control and everything around him is going to crash to his feet.

“Simon, breathe.”

_He can’t. He can’t. He can’t._

“Come on, in and out.”

“I—“ He chokes, his head convulsing forward. “I’m dying.”

“It’s just a panic attack. Just breathe. In and out, in and out.”

_In and out. In and out. In and out._  

He breathes in too much air at first. Tears spring to his eyes, causing everything around him to become a giant blur he can’t quite make out. But he tries again and again, until he’s breathing has evened out and he no longer feels like he’s going to faint. The anxiety’s still there, though, weighing heavily on his chest, making it feel like an elephant’s sitting on top of it.

“Are you okay?” Bram questions, his eyes full of worry.

“I-I think so...”

“Do you want me to get you some water?” He stands, as if ready to leave, but a hand reaches forward, fingers wrapping around his wrist.

“No! No, don’t leave me, please.”

“I’ll be right back,” Bram says, turning to look at Simon. “I promise,” he adds when he sees just how preoccupied he looks.

“Okay...”

“I won’t be long. Just stay right here, okay?”

Simon nods, so Bram takes it as his cue to go. He walks out of the waiting room and into a hallway, which is completely empty, void of human life. Turning a corner, he finds himself in front of two vending machines — one with sodas and other beverages and one with snacks.

He rocks back and forth on both feet as he eyes the snack machine, spotting the Oreos inside it almost instantly. He takes out four one dollar bills from his hoodie’s pocket and slips one into the snack machine, and presses on the numbers for the small bag of Oreos. Then he moves on to the soda machine, and buys a water for Simon and a lemonade for himself. He hurries back to the waiting room, sighing in relief when he finds Simon still sitting there.

Simon looks up as he sits back down, taking the bottle of water Bram is offering him, and uncapping it.

“Thank you,” Simon says, offering Bram a small smile. It’s forced, though, not quite reaching the corners of his eyes.

“Do Nick and Abby know?” Bram asks, taking notice of the fact that they’re not there. He was expecting all three of them to be there when he got there, not just Simon.

“I just texted Nick a little while ago. He said he’d tell Abby and that they would get here as soon as possible.”

Bram nods and leans back against his seat, pulling Simon along with him.

“I’m scared,” Simon admits, his eyes closing shut. “I don’t... I don’t want her to die...”

“She’s not going to die,” Bram whispers as he runs his fingers through Simon’s hair. “I’m sure of that.”

“I’d never forgive myself if she did.”

“Si, what happened wasn’t your fault.”

“I don’t know. If I had been watching where I was going, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“The only person to blame for this is the person who hit her. Not you, not Leah.”

“I just feel so awful. I wish—“

Simon stops in mid-sentence, his eyes landing on Nick and Abby, who have just walked into the waiting room. Bram turns in their direction when Simon stops talking, catching sight of them as well. The weight against him is soon gone as Simon rises from his seat and practically runs to where Nick and Abby are and throws his arms around them both, catching them off-guard.

His heart breaks as he hears the sobs. Simon’s whole body is trembling. Abby too, has tears now rolling down her cheeks. Nick’s the only one who’s not crying. Instead, he appears distant, as if his mind hasn’t quite processed what has happened.

Simon goes on to explain to them what has happened in more detail, his voice shaking, mind a mess.

After a couple of minutes, Simon sits back down, Abby taking the seat to his right, while Nick takes the one beside hers that’s empty.

“Does Leah’s mom know?” Nick asks soon after, to which Simon nods his head.

“She’s not here, though. She’s in Nebraska, visiting family. She’s taking the first flight she can get, but she probably won’t be able to get here until a few hours from now.”

“Did the doctor say anything?” Abby asks, her head turning to look at Simon. She’s leaning towards him, her left hand holding tightly on to his.

“No,” Simon replies. “It’s only been like half an hour since they brought her in. They said they might not have any information for a while, and that even then, they won’t be able to tell me much because I’m not family.”

Abby frowns at his words, her thumb rubbing against Simon’s knuckles. “I hope she’s okay,” she says, wiping a tear from her eye. “I can’t believe this happened.”

“We’ll know more about it once her mom gets here,” Nick says as he places a hand on her shoulder. 

After that, everyone goes quiet. Nick sits with his elbows leaning on his thighs, head resting against the palms of his hands, staring straight forward. Abby has her head resting on Simon’s shoulder, who is sitting with his back against his chair, one hand holding on to Abby’s, while his other one is holding on to Bram’s.

They stay like that until a doctor who appears to be around his fourties arrives. He looks over at the teenagers and walks towards them, a look of confusion on his face. 

Simon and Nick rise out of their seats almost immediately, followed closely by Abby and Bram.

“Are you here for Leah Burke?” the doctor asks as he looks down at the chart that he is holding in his hand.

“Yeah, we’re her friends,” Nick says. He bites on his bottom lip, looking briefly to Abby and Simon. “Is she okay?”

The doctor smiles, easing some of the worry they’re all feeling. “She will be. She suffered a mild concussion, so it’s nothing too serious. Are her parents here?”

Simon shakes his head. “No, uh, her mom’s in Nebraska, taking a flight here.” He pauses then, looking at the doctor with hopeful eyes. “Can we please see her?” he asks, dreading the answer. “I need to make sure she’s okay.”

The doctor looks hesitant, but gestures towards the waiting room entrance. “Sure, follow me.” 

Simon looks to Abby and Nick, and then to Bram, before following the doctor. Behind him, Bram reaches for his hand, squeezing it tightly in his own.

The doctor leads them down several hallways, before stopping in front of a door marked by the numbers 204. “She might be a bit out of it, just a warning. Also, only two of you at once, alright?”

The four of them nod and then turn to each other once the doctor has left.

“You should go first, Simon,” Nick says, to which Abby nods.

“Yeah, we’ll go see her after you.”

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes,” they both say in unison.

“It’s fine, Si,” Abby reassures him.

“Okay.” Simon frowns, his eyes then landing on Bram. “Come with me?” he asks softly.

“Of course.” Bram then turns to Abby and Nick, offering them a small smile. “We’ll be right out.”

“Take your time,” Nick says, “it’s okay.” 

Simon fidgets where he stands in front of the door, as if unsure about whether to actually go in or not.

“It’ll be okay,” Bram says, his gaze falling on the worried look on Simon’s face. “Are you ready?”

Simon nods inaudibly, so Bram takes ahold of the doorknob and turns it. Simon’s the first to walk in, his steps small and hesitant. Bram places both of his hands on his shoulders, guiding him to the chair beside Leah’s hospital bed. Leah looks fine, for the most part, aside from a few scratches and bruises that resulted from the fall, as well as a bandage that is wrapped around her head.

“Leah?” Simon swallows, taking Leah’s right hand in between both of his. 

Leah’s eyes had been closed up until this moment. At the sound of her name being called, she opens her eyes, wincing at the bright light coming from the ceiling. Her eyes wander around the room until they land on Bram, and then on Simon.

“Si.” She closes her eyes tightly and then opens them again. “I feel awful.”

“I’m so sorry, Leah.” Tears spring to Simon’s eyes, one managing to escape and make its way down his face. “I’m so freaking sorry. Are you okay?”

“Simon, stop.” Leah frowns, her fingers tightening around Simon’s. “Stop apologizing. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“Yeah, but—“ 

“The driver was an idiot. I know you’re blaming yourself, and you shouldn’t.”

“How did you...?”

“Because I know you, Si. I know how your mind works.”

A sob manages to make its way up Simon’s throat. He sniffles, his hold on Leah’s hand loosening. “I hate that you got hurt.” 

“I’d rather it be me than you,” Leah says as she lifts a hand, holding it against Simon’s cheek. “I’m gonna be okay,” she whispers. “My head just hurts like a bitch right now.”

Simon laughs and shakes his head. “I was so worried.”

“Well, thanks for worrying about me, but I’m gonna be fine.” Leah smiles at Simon, her eyes then landing on Bram, who is standing awkwardly on the edge of Leah’s hospital bed.

He returns the smile and walks over to stand beside Simon. “I’m glad you’re okay, Leah,” he says as he looks down at her.

“Thanks.” She pauses then, her smile vanishing. “I think I need some more pain meds,” she says as her head starts to throb.

“I’ll go tell someone,” Bram says, before walking out of the room.

Simon watches him go and then turns back to Leah. “I’m really sorry you got hurt, but... thank you, for pushing me out of the way,” he tells her. “I appreciate it more than you know. And, I love you.”

Leah’s lips turn upwards into a smile. “I love you too, Si.” She then grins, poking Simon’s cheek with her index finger. “You owe me big time,” she says playfully.

Simon rolls his eyes, but chuckles, gently smacking Leah’s hand away. “Whatever you say, Leah.”

**Author's Note:**

> How was that? I felt like the ending might have been a bit rushed, but I’d love to know your thoughts! :)


End file.
